Flush valve assembly



NOV. 9, 1954 H. SMITH 2,693,601

FLUSH VALVE ASSEMBLY Filed Sept. 28, 1951 K ,aol

O 0 30 iF v60 INVENTOR. HA EF'Y F. SMITH United States Patent Hice Patented Nov. 9, 1954 FLUSH VALVE ASSEMBLY Harry F. Smith, Lexington, Ohio, assignor to Mansfield Sanitary Pottery, Inc., Perrysville, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application September 2S, 1951, Serial No. 248,751

6 Claims. (Cl. 4-58) This invention relates generally to ush valve assemblies of tanks for water closets and is particularly concerned with a ush valve assembly which makes possible marked economies in flush tank construction and in ilush valve construction, replacement and repair.

It has long been the aim of those skilled in this art to reduce the cost of tanks for water closets and to reduce the cost of construction, maintenance, replacement and repair of flush valve assemblies for such tanks but, so far as I am aware, none of the many expedients proposed has satisfactorily attained these aims except at prohibitive cost.

Since a certain quantity of water is required for iiushing the bowl of a watercloset, the minimum size of the tank is fixed thereby and any reduction in the size of the tank can be expected only by decreasing the depth of the water remaining in the tank after flushing. This depth of water is determined in part by the conventional valve seat which also serves as an overow pipe and which, for that reason, projects some distance above the inside surface of the bottom wall of the tank. This residual or excess water is a nuisance when repairs are being made for it must be removed, as by means of a sponge or the like, and the fact that it is present means that the tank must be deep enough to hold not only the amount of water required for iiushing, but also this excess quantity. It has long been obvious to those skilled in the art that the cost of the tank could be reduced in proportion to the saving in tank depth which could be effected by reducing the quantity of this excess water. but, so far as l know, very little reduction in the amount of this excess water has been brought about by any ol' the expedients proposed for that purpose.

The present invention attains the foregoing objects by providing new and improved valve apparatus. This apparatus, brietiy described, includes a valve seat which projects only a short distance above the bottom inside surface of the tank and a valve assembly comprising a stem which also serves as an overilow and refill tube, a valve which will be held in seated position by the pressure of a small amount of water in the tank and which will effectively seal the outlet even though the seat may be distorted or misshaped or the valve guide may not be accurately aligned with the seat, and a buoyant member which will cause the valve assembly to iioat in the water from the time when the valve is opened until the surface of the water in the tank falls to a predetermined low level. This assembly consists of a few inexpensive parts which may be assembled and disassembled by hand without the aid of tools.

The invention will be better understood by those skilled in the art from the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification and in which:

Fig. l is an exploded, perspective View of a iioat valve apparatus embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a central, vertical, cross-sectional view, taken through the apparatus of Fig. l in a tank with the parts in valve closed position; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

In the iigures, the bottom wall of a ush tank is fragmentarily shown at 1. This wall has an opening in which a rubber ring 2 is located. This ring has a cylindrical opening 3 therethrough and lower and upper, annular, parallel spaced ribs or iianges 4 and 5 projecting outwardly from its exterior to engage the inner and outer surfaces of the bottom wall of the tank. The upper end surface 6 of ring 2 constitutes a valve seat disposed A.

just above the upper surface of the tank bottom. At diametrically opposite points the ring has inwardly projecting portions 7 provided with longitudinally extend-l ing holes through which extend the portions of a guide 8 in the form of a Ll-shaped wire. The ends of this wire are upset to prevent accidental removal of the wire from the ring. A coiled wire 9 is embedded in ring 2 near its lower end and serves to prevent undue distortion when clamped between the tank and a bowl therebelow.

The valve assembly comprises a stern 10, a valve 11, and a buoyant member 20. The stem which is hollow and also serves as an overow and reill tube is preferably composed of light-weight material, for example, Bakelite. The valve 11 includes a disk-shaped, valveseat-engaging portion 12 having a groove 13 in its top and a tubular portion 14 extending at substantially right angles thereto. The overow pipe 10 fits snugly into the tubular portion 14 and abuts at its end against an inwardly extending flange. A shoulder 15 extends outwardly at the intersection of the disk 12 and tubular portion 14 to act as a stop for the buoyant member. The portion 12 is composed of resilient material, preferably rubber. groove 13 and is suciently rigid in radial directions to resist folding under by the outgoing water, vis sufficiently exible circumferentially to adapt itself to the variations in the valve seat, and is weakened, as by annular groove 13, so as to permit misalignment of the overflow pipe and the tubular part of the valve with the valve seat, without resultant leakage. It will bey understood that the bottom of the tank may be warped during tiring so that the top of the valve seat may not be perpendicular to the vertical axis of the overiiow pipe, and also that the overflow pipe does not necessarily always move with its axis in a vertical position and, hence, that the valve may lirst engage one part of the valve seat while out of contact with an opposite part as the valve is being closed.

The buoyant member indicated at 20 is ring or doughnut-shaped and is of substantial thickness. It has a central hole therethrough so as to be slid over the tubular portion 14 of the valve and into abutting engagement with shoulder 15. The oat ring 20 may be held in assembled position on the valve by any suitable means, the means shown including a boit 17 extending through one wall of pipe 10 and portion 14 of the valve and washer 18 and nut 19 located just above ring 20.

As indicated in Fig. 2, the guide 8 extends upwardly into pipe 1t? and serves to guide the pipe in its movement toward and away from the bottom of the tank, the space between the guide and the inner surfaces of the pipe and valve being sutiicient to insure absence of binding engagement between the guide and these parts. The upward movement of pipe 10 is limited by hook 23 which is secured in place in pipe 10 by bolt 17 and which has an npturned lower end to project into the U-shaped wire S and engage it at the predetermined top of the stroke of pipe 10. The hook is spaced far enough away from the pipe to permit wire 8 to move past it into pipe 16. Since the upward movement of pipe 10 is limited by hook 23, the stop conventionally employed at the pivot end of the ilush lever may be omitted. Thus the lever may pivot freely in the tank wall.

Near its upper end pipe 10 is provided with means by which it may be connected to a flush valve lever 2S. This means comprises a narrow U-shaped spring clip 26 which may be clamped against the outside of the pipe 10 as by bolt 27 and nut 28 with the bolt extending through and beyond the nut almost to the opposite portion of the clip and projecting through a hole in the lever 25. Thus the lever is loosely mounted on the bolt for free relative rotational movement and the clip prevents excessive rotation of the pipe 10 about a vertical axis and restores it to its normal position when some It increases in thickness from its edge to '.assaaoi and tending to deform it land should be unaffected by `water. Manyof the materials which maybe obtainable in the form of foams are suitable for use as such a ring. These foam articles are characterized by having a multiplicity of closed, non-communicating cells. Materials which have been found -to be `suitable for :this purpose include glass, preferably with Vva vbaked enamel coating thereon, polystyrene, and ipolyvinyl chloride. These ma- 4terials possess suflicient strength 1aud-rigidity and low weigh-t and are water resistant. `when polystyrene is used, it may -be desirable to cover the 'ring with "an impervious cover, such 'as Ja. -coating'of water-resistant paint as indicated at 30 Yin Fig. '2. The sole purpose for using this paint coating is 4to decorate or -col-or the polystyrene so that stains which the white y'polystyrene would acquire 'in handling will not be visible.

The apparatus above described operates .substantially as follows:

to 'Ms inch. We prefer, however, to use floats of about When there is water in the tank and the llever 25 is actuated to lift pipe 10 and thereby .move disk portion 12 of the'valve off seating surface 6, the assembly v'comprising the pipe '10,"valve 11 `and ring 20 rises until hook 23 engages stop 8. Due to its buoyancy, the ring causes the valve assembly to float in thisposition until the water level falls below 'the top of float ring 20. As` the water level continues to fall thereafter the vfioat and valve descend with the water .until the level of the water vin the tank "has fallen so` low 'that 'the flexible valve comes into the outflowing 'water and -is drawn down onto the seat by that water.vv When the weight of the valve assembly ,and the 'buoyant .effect 'of the ring are of the proper values, the valve once seated will remain in seated position due .to pressure .of water on -the upper surface of part 12 beneath `foatring '20. This pressure is sufficient, as .the level 4of water Arises in the tank, to insure continued seal-ing action despite some distortion of the seating surface V6 on flange 5 of .ring 2 and some misalignment of the tube 10 with .respect to that ring.

The principles involved Vin the above described .operation and in the selection ofproper values -of vweigh-ts and buoyant effects are readily :seen rfrom a brief consideration of a `few simple facts.

Let it be assumed, solely for example, thatthe weigh-t of a given valve assembly including lever v25, A-pipe V10, valve 11, float and hook 23 is 31/2 ounces. Obviously, if this assembly is to o'at t-he buoyant effect must be lsomewhat greater than that weight. Since water weighs about 1/2 ounce per cubic inch,a displacement of about l 7 cubicffinches would be ,required simplyl to :offset .the

weight of the assembly. JIf a safety .factor of say l ounce is included to insure that the lassembly will float in the water, a Vdisplacementof another 2 cubic inches would be required. Assuming that'the area of the opening throughthe valve is l square inch, the total displacement required would be l0 cubic inches. If it -be assumed that the outside diameter of .the oat 20 is 2.1/2 inches, vlits `area will be 5 square inches and, accordingly, it would have to be 2 inches'thick to have the necessary l0 cubic inch volume. Such a float would project about 1A inch above the level ofthe water vand the valve would close with '2l/2 to 3 inches of residual water remaining in .the tank.

'Since the depth of water remaining in the tank after the Valve is -closed will vary with the thickness .of .the float, it is obvious that the float should be -larger in diameter and less in thickness than stated lin the above illustration.

When the valve is fully closed it is .quite obvious that the only lifting effect of the oat .is that due to the portion marked FF on the drawing, and which lies `outside the line of the valve seat.

This lifting effect must be kept below the weight of the valve assembly (in 'thel case assumed below 31./2 ounces) or else the valve' assembly wouldvfloat loff the seat, allowing water to escape from vthe tank, lwhich would never fill. VSince this lift would Loccur with a displacement of 7 cubic inches, it is plain that the volume of this portion of the lioat ring V.must nevery exceed this figure. The limiting` outside diameter of the oat for the example given, 'if of one-inch thickness, would therefore .be approximately 4 inches. Floatsv of Agreater displacement would render .the valvev inoperative.

Y In practice it has'be'en found 'mat'ioats .o'f 4 inches diameter are-usableif me thicknessiskep't from SZ; vinch 3% nChindiamcter 'and of a thickness Aapproximating '1 inch for valve assemblies Weighing about 31/2 ounces.

The operation of the above described apparatus will be better understood by reference to Fig. 2 where broken lines KK indicate a cylinder whose circumference is the same as the circle on 'which :the valve l1 has seating contact with surface V6; GG and FF indicate, respectively, cylindrical parts of-the 1float 20 lying inside and outside of the cylinder KK and HH indicates the space between the lower sideo'f float 20`and the upper `side of valve 11.

'When the'valve 'is closed and the surface of the water is not above the top surface of float 20, the water will not verrer-,t enough lifting Yforce on .the valve assembly to lift the valve off its seat. At such time the force of the water exerted on the under surface of the float in spaces HH within cylinder KK tending to lift the valve assembly will be offset by an equal pressure of water on the top surface fof .part` .12 of the valve in spaces HH within cylinder KK `'tending to .press `the vvalve .against .its seat. The :pressure of the water vexerted upwardly on the iioat and downwardly on the valve outside of cylinder KK will balance each other .over equal areas and thus the net lifting effect of the water will be traceable to the pressure it applies to the .narrow ring `of the lower -surface of the vfloat youtside `of the `projection yof the valve disk 1.2. This 4ringishouldbe so `narrow as not to afford lifting `force enough to overcome the weight of the valve assembly.

When the water level rises above the ltop of the float, `the water lwi-llfe'xert a downward pressure `over the entire top v'of the float which will maintain the valve on its seat and this downward pressure will increase as the depth of the `water increases. Hence, once closed the valve remains closed during refilling of the ltank and until the valve is again opened by 4actuation of the valve lever.

vWhen the valve is lifted off 4its seat `by vactuation of the valve lever, water immediately rushes into the space beneath the valve, lfilling it land exerting an upward lift,- ing pressure over the lentire area 'of the valve except for the central opening therein. Thus the water moves the valveassen'ibly 'upwardlyuntilthe hook V23 engages stop 8. When the valve assemblyvm'oves downwardly with the water, the `portion 12 of the valve comes into the out- 'ru'shing stream of water 'and interferes with the Volume of ow of that stream. As the volume of that stream decreases, 'the level of the Water in the space below the valve falls with progressively 'lessened buoyant force being exerted on the under side of the valve. Thus the fall in supporting pressure and the force of the outrush- .ing water move the valve onto its seat where it remains as above described until Vlifted by .actuation of lever y25.

Having thus described the present invention so that others skilled in the art may be able to understand and practice the same, I state that what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is defined in what is claimed.

What is claimed is:

l. lA flush valve for a water closet ytank comprising an annular valve seat in the bottom wall vof the tank, a nonmetallic overflow pipe, means to attach the pipe for limited relative motion to a flush lever, a guide carried by said 'seat and extending up into said pipe, means attach'ed to said pipe and engageable with said guide to limit the extent yof 'upward movement of said pipe, a valve having ya disk-shaped exible portion of greater diameter than said seat to engage vsaid seat and seal it against outflow of water and a tubular portion to `t around the lower end of said pipe, a float Aring surrounding said pipe ands'paced from said flexible portion of the valve, and means holding said float ring and valve in assembled position on said pipe, said vfloat ring being sufficiently light in weight and buoyant to float the pipe assembly in ythe water, said float ring having a structure characterized by a multiplicity of separate, closed cells.

2. A ush valve fora water closet tank comprising anannular ring in a hole 'inthe bottom wall of the tank, said ring having k parallel spaced flanges projecting from its exterior to engage the inner-and outersurfaces of said bottom vwall about said hole, the end surface of said ring within thetank being closerto the inner surface of thebottom wall of theltank Yandfconstitutinga valve seat, an overowipipe, fa Ueshapedguide carriedby said seat and extendingjup into saidpipe, adeform'ation-resisting coiled wire embeddedin s aid annularkring outside ofthe tank, -a iat, flexible rubber valve 'on vthe pipe at its lower end to engage said seat, and a buoyant oat on said pipe spaced above said valve.

3. A valve seat ring for a ilush valve of a water closet tank, said ring having inwardly extending projections and having parallel, spaced anges projecting outwardly from its exterior to engage the inner and outer surfaces of the bottom wall of such a tank around a hole in said wall, the end of the ring which is to be within the tank having an end surface constituting a valve seat, and a U-sbaped guide having end portions extending into said inwardly extending projections and projecting from the valve seat end of said ring.

4. A valve seat ring for a ush tank of a water closet, said ring having a surface at one end thereof constituting a valve seat, and inwardly extending projections, a U- shaped guide having end portions extending into said projections and projecting beyond the valve seat end of the ring to enter an overliow pipe, and a distortionresisting coiled wire embedded in the ring in the end opposite said seat.

5. A Hush valve assembly for a water closet tank comprising an overflow pipe-receiving tube, a flat disk extending outwardly from said tube at substantially right angles thereto, said disk being of greater diameter than the seat it is to engage and seal and having an annular weakened portion adjacent to said tube, a radially stitened, circumferentially flexible, outer portion, an overow pipe secured in and projecting from said tube away from said dis a buoyant i'loat ring around said pipe and spaced from said disk, and stop means in and secured to the overflow pipe and fixed means engageable with said stop means to limit the upward movement of said pipe.

6. A ush valve assembly for a water closet tank comprising an overflow pipe, a U-shaped spring clip having an inner portion positioned against the pipe near its upper end and having an outer portion spaced apart from the inner portion to provide a space for a ilush lever between the two portions, means for securing said clip against said pipe, said means including a bolt extending through the pipe, the inner portion of the clip, into said space and nearly into contact with the outer portion of the clip, a flush lever mounted on said bolt and adjacent to said outer portion of the clip for free rotational movement,

said outer portion of the clip being engageable with said lever during endwise movement of the pipe to insure substantially no movement of the upper end of the pipe laterally relative to the lever and only restrictive rotational movement of the pipe relative to the lever.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,744,491 Mullen Ian. 21, 1930 2,495,213 Drum Jan. 24, 1950 2,520,574 Smith Aug. 29, 1950 2,579,766 Smith Dec. 25, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 231,211 Switzerland May 16, 1944 425,210 Great Britain Mar. 8, 1935 

